Effect of pre-coagulation using different aluminium species on crystallization of cake layer and membrane fouling

Our work entitled “Effect of pre-coagulation using different aluminium species on crystallization of cake layer and membrane fouling” has recently been accepted by npjcleanwater. This work studied the application of different Al coagulants as a pre-treatment for ultrafiltration (UF), and investigated the effect of residual flocs on the morphology of the membrane cake layer and fouling. The results showed that the primary nanoparticles generated from three species of Al coagulants had different sizes and fractal dimensions, and therefore produced cake layers with different thickness/structure. It is concluded that crystallization exacerbated membrane fouling by decreasing the porosity of the cake layer, and the situation became more severe in the presence of humic acid.